meriman



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. R. MERIMA'N. PRINTING SURFACE Patented Dec; 3, 1889.

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( Modem 2 Sheets+Sheefo 2 R. MERIMAN.

; PRINTING SURFAGB. No. 416,174. Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

' sheets, or in the form known as sponge UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH MERIMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,.ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO EDYVIN E. VISE, OF SAME PLACE.

SURFACE.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,174, dated December 3, 1889.

Application filed October 22, 1888. SerialNo. 2881 5- (N0 1110591) To all whom it may concern.-

'Be it known that I, RALPH MERIMAN, of Chicago, in. the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to printing-forms for printing with the aid of sheets having the design produced therein in pervious lines through which ink may pass to the receivingsurface; and the invention consists in the construction of the ink pad or reservoir, and in the combination therewith of aperforated sheet to produce the complete printing-form.

Figure 1. of the drawings illustrates my invention, showing the form in perspective with the layers of material partially removed to better disclose their order and arrangement; Fig. 2, a perspective view of a sectional form for color-printing; Fig. 3, a plan view of the same, partly broken away.

I have found in practice that it is very desirable to be able to provide at the outset or when making up the form a quantity of ink closely proportionate to the requirements of a given number of copies or impressionsa result very perfectly attained by my invention, as will be better understood after the construction of the ink pad or reservoir is explained.

A indicates a backing-block, of wood or other suitable material and of appropriate thickness, upon which I place a layer or layers of billiard-cloth, felt, or other material B, suitable to produce a cushion or elastic bed for the ink reservoir or pad proper, or the cushion may be of rubber, either solid, in

rubber, or of equivalentmaterial. Over the cushion B is stretched a sheet 0, of rubber, rubber cloth, or other impervious material, to protect the cushion from the ink, this sheet 0 being tacked, OGIHGDIGCLDI otherwise secured at its edges to the block A. Upon the impervious sheet C, I place alayer or layers D of linen, chamois-skin, or other fabric or material capable of holding printing-ink or other suitable ink. Heavy linen is preferred, for the reason that it readily absorbs and soon becomes completely saturated with the ink in every fiber, instead of merely holding it in its meshes; but other fabrics and materials give quite good results, and hence I do not restrict myself to this. Over the heavy linen or ink-containing body D is stretched a sheet E, of finelinen or other material, through which the ink may readily pass, linen being preferred because of the property above noted of absorbing the ink so perfectly. I

The linen sheet or cover E may be tacked or cemented in place, or, as is preferred, it may be secured in position, together with a design-sheet F, by means of a binding or clamping frame G, which in turn may be held to block A by corner-clips H or any equivalent fastenings.

The design-sheet is perforated to produce the design, its body being impervious to the ink of the linen D, but the lines or marks of the design being cut away, perforated, or in some other way rendered pervious to the ink, suchpreparation of the design-sheet constituting no part of the present invention.

A layer of linen of given quality will contain ink enough to produce a certain number of clear impressions, but cannot be used advantageously to any considerable extent beyond such nu mber. Two layers will double the number of impressions, and for each layer its number will be added, there being no material loss in the aggregate number from a series of superposed layers. It is therefore possible by adding layers, each duly saturated with ink, to prepare the form at the outset with a supply of ink suited to the intended number of impressions.

The pad or reservoir being thus constructed and the perforated design-sheet placed upon it, with the face of the design in contact with the face of the pad, the whole constitutes a printing-form, which, being mounted in a press of any kind, may be printed from with good effect, taking the place of the common form and requiring no inking, the ink of the pad passing through the pervious lines of the design-sheet to the surface which is to receive the impression. In this way I am enabled to reproduce with ease and in a very short time any number of copies of designs, maps, drawings, manuscripts, prints, &c., and

to make them identical with the original in every particular, and this without delay for replenishing ink and without any waste what-- ever.

The cushion-back of the ink-containing layer or layers of material causes the surface of the form to adapt itself readily to the surface to be printed and prevents undue compression of the ink-containing body, which might result in a too free discharge of ink.

It is obvious that the form or the ink-res ervoir thereof may be either flat, curved, or of other shape.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the pad or reservoir is illustrated as in form for color-print-inga result rendered possible and practicable by making the absorbent body, and, if desired, the pervious facing also, in separate sections, each adapted to receive ink of such color or character as may be required for the particular part of the design which is to be supplied therefrom.

The details of the pad may vary, as above explained, the essential requirement of this feature consisting in the division of the absorbent body into independent sections, or the charging of different portions of an in tegral absorbent body With ink of different characters, colors, or grades.

In Figs. 2 and 3, A indicates a backing of wood or any other suitable material; B B, layers of billiard-cloth, felt, or other yielding material suitableto the formation of a cushion; C, a sheet of rubber or other impervious material stretched over the cushion B and cemented, tacked, or otherwise made fast to the backing, as in Fig. 1. Upon the covered cushion I place a layer or layers D of heavy linen or other absorbent material capable of taking up and holding a quantity of ink, printers ink being preferably used, with little or no thinning or reducing from its natural condition, as above set forth.

The absorbent body D may be in one thickness or in more, and each layer may be in one integral sheet or in separate sections, as preferred. In whichever wayit may be made, however, the body D is divided off into clearly-defined sections, the form of each depending upon the design to be produced, and each section is impregnated or saturated with ink appropriate in color, consistency, and otherwise to the portion of the design which is to receive its supply therefrom.

In some cases it will be found desirable to out the sections of the absorbent body D to the form and size of the different inksec- .t-ions, While in other cases-as, for instance, where the portions to be printed in different colors or grades of ink do not meet closely the several colors or grades of ink may be applied to different portions of one common sheet.

E indicates the pervious covering, preferably of fine linen, stretched over the ink-containing body B, and F a sheet of paper or other suitable material having a design produced in it by perforations, incisions, or by some agent which will render the lines pervious to ink, the design-sheet, or both this and the cover-sheet E, being held in place by a clamping-frame 0, provided with clips, hooks, or fastenings, or in any other obvious way, as already set forth.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to construct an ink-pad with sections supplied with different-colored inks; but I am not aware that a pad hasever been made as above set forth.

The absorbent body D may be thicker or composed 'of more layers in one part than in another, so as to give off different amounts of ink in different parts. Such a construct-ion is illustrated in Fig. 3 at the right-hand side of the figure. This difference is necessary in order to adapt the pad to inks differing in fluidity, or where itis desired to give a heavier supply of ink in one part than in another.

In some cases, as I have found by actual use, the pervious covering-sheet E may be omitted; but its use is deemed advisable ordinarily.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is 1 1. A printing-form consisting of a backing, a cushion applied thereto, an impervious cover applied to said cushion, a layer or layers of ink-containing material placed upon said impervious cover, a pervious facing or covering-sheet extending over the ink-containing material, and a design-sheet applied to the facing-sheet and having a pervious design formed in it.

2. An ink pad or reservoirfor printing, consisting of a backing, a cushion applied to said backing, an impervious cover to said cushion, a layer or layers of ink-containing material placed upon said cover, and a pervious facing ext-ending over the ink-containing material.

3. In an ink pad or reservoir for printing, the combination of a backing, a cushion of billiard-cloth or its equivalent applied thereto, a rubber cover extending over the cushion, heavy linen placed upon the rubber cover and supplied with ink, and a fine-linen facing extending over the heavy linen.

4. The herein-described printing-form, consisting of backing A, a cushion B,impervious' cover C, absorbent material D, pervious cover E, and perforated design-sheet F, the absorbent material being charged in different parts with different inks.

5. An ink pad or reservoir forstencil printing having an absorbent body of different thicknesses in different parts, each part charged with ink suitable to the portion of the design which it is to supply.

In Witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

RALPH MERIMAN. lVitnesses:

CHAs. R. CALKINS, EDWARD SWEENEY. 

